Ming calls Yibo and eyes him with suspicion, showing something in the phone. Yibo awkwardly coughs and blushes slightly

"what is it boss?"

"can't you see? videos of that bastard is going viral. people are about to find and kill him by themselves. what a show is this?"

"but isn't that good boss? now he can't keep his career anymore and do surgeries too"

"what about our image? now everyone knows about our failure. people call us stupid dogs"

"dogs are cute tho..." Ming glares at him and Yibo bytes on his tongue "I'm sorry"

"Han is nowhere to see, how could he vanished like this? we thought he left country, but there is no record in the airports? maybe hired private plane?"

"hope he is rotting in the hell"

"look here detective Wang Yibo. there is something weird about you, by any chance..." Ming has to stop as detectives come in, dragging young man with them. slim girl is hanged on Lei's shoulder, hardly keeping balance. they take boy to investigation room and Yibo offers chair to victim "family violence case?"

"yes, it was reported by their neighbor. she was asking for help, when we arrived. guess this happens constantly"

"would you like to drink water?" Yibo asks with sweet voice and girl smiles faintly. her arms are bruised and hands shaking, looking around with scared eyes "can you tell us the truth?"

"he beats me up, because I stand for myself. he keeps cheating and I can't handle it anymore, I gave up on everything because of love and now became just use of his desires"

"what do you mean?"

"he wants only my wealth, my gifts, he did never love me" she lowers head and starts sobbing, hardly catching the breath "I already endured too much, please help me detective, please remove him from my life"

"it's ok, we'll do our best to help you. let us take testimony from him too" she nods and Yibo leaves to investigation room with Lei. young man looks up, when he is called and Yibo finds it weird how calm he is. his appearance is quite soft, with pretty but still handsome face "so Mr..."

"Sun, it's Sun"

"you're accused at physical and psychological abuse towards your girlfriend"

"yes, I could guess it"

"do you deny or..."

"you can arrest me right now detective, I don't care"

"I see, you're being bratty. having some connections? I'm already too sick of people like you" Yibo hits fist on the table and boy starts shaking suddenly, bringing his palms together

"please just put me in the jail, I beg you. I'm already living in the prison, please free me"

"what the..." Yibo looks at lei with confusion and slightly pats on his shoulder "what kind of game are you playing?"

"even if she says that I'm not guilty, don't believe please. I won't come back to her, I better die here"

"so where is the suspect?" suddenly someone talks out and Yibo turns back, meeting Sean's eyes. later one greets them and sits down in front of the boy "family violence, do you admit?"

"Yes I do. Everything she says is true"

"are you kidding me?" Sean keeps looking at him and then laughs mockingly, opening the case "I have met countless abusers and you aren't the one surely. I bet, you can't even kill the ant"

"should we just trust your words Sean? his girlfriend is surely abused and she is blaming him. how can woman lie about this kind of matter?"

"so detective Wang Yibo" Sean locks eyes with him and Yibo takes step back "if woman calls herself victim, are we supposed to just believe her without listening to other party? since when gender defines the culpability?"

"she will never let me go" sun addresses to Sean and painfully smiles "you're first one who saw the reality and I'm very thankful for this" he gets up and takes shirt off, making his bruised body visible. some wounds are already healed and some still fresh and red "when loud sounds comes out from our flat, everyone thinks it's me beating her up. everyone looks at me with disgust or just turn their heads away. this isn't first time I was brought here, but she always denied everything and took me back to home...maybe to just keep tormenting me"

"sun please wait" Yibo rubs his temples with frustration and leans on the table "how could feeble girl like her cause this wounds? don't you think it's too unbelievable?"

"not her hands but there is many things that can cause it right? actually I don't mind physical pain at all, but she is destroying me emotionally. I endured it all, because thought it was deserved for my greed but...not anymore"

"so...let us take testimony from you" Yibo sighs and sits down next to Sean, opening the laptop "can you tell us everything from the beginning? I will ask official questions later, now talk for doctor to hear"

"we're studying together at the college, I got in with scholarship because couldn't afford fee. Pei is rich and this is main reason, everyone saw her as pretty too. soon she started having interest in me and I became object of hate from everyone. there was new gift everyday in my locker, I was receiving better food than others, I was never punished for bad things. I got...student grant too. simply I was under her protection. I won't lie, I enjoyed it"

"is the flat you live in bought by her?"

"yes"

"so Mr Sun, you never refused to get gifts from her right?"

"I did never ask for them either. I didn't extort money from her"

"you know people always ask for something in return"

"I kept her company, I was "good boy" for her. she was always nice too, until I started trying to stand on my own feet. After graduation she offered to live together and I agreed, maybe it was more gratitude than love, but I sincerely wanted to stay with her. our first fight was after I denied working at her father's company and got job on my own. she started coming to my workplace almost everyday and controlling every step of mine. I noticed all my colleagues avoiding relationship with me and find out later that it was her doing"

"are you still working there?"

"no, I was blamed at swindling" Sun laughs and taps palms on the table by frustration "she paid big amount of money to save me. that is what she said but I know it was her trap from the beginning. do you know what makes her angriest? when someone gives me compliments, when someone simply notices me. every time I'm praised for something, she tries to humiliate me in front of everyone. she keeps telling that I'm poor, low human being who would die in dirt if it wasn't for her kindness. you know detective? I thought so too, I kept silence every time she was stepping on me, on my pride"

"why didn't you just leave? you could..."

"because she threatened me, she was going to kill herself if I leave. yes Pei has bruises on her body, but if happened when I was trying to stop her from harming herself. I know it's hard to believe, but she is mentally sick. she looks totally fine and normal from outside, but is obsessed of me. Pei thinks that she owns me, because of things she bought for me. I'm just precious toy, not human being for her. she stops me from earning money, she stops me from having friends, because she is scared I'll leave. she calls it love but no, that can't be love"

"are you going to sue her? if everything you said is true, you can get high compensation and maybe put her in the jail too"

"who is going to believe me? did you do it detective?" Sun turns to Yibo and later one lowers head, unable to take look in his eyes "they say that any decent human will side with the woman no matter what, not the accused abuser. everyone around thinks that men can't be abused, we can only be abusers. I won't press charges against her, I'll accept my fate. I hate, I really hate Pei but don't want to cause her suicide. hope she will get proper treatment, while I'm gone"

"by the way...what is your profession?" suddenly Sean asks with soft tone and looks at his hands "I noticed paint stains"

"I love to draw" sun's eyes starts shining with excitement and leans forward "I'm into art, my job was about designing also. she said my drawings was like trash...so I kept doing it secretly. I was scared she would destroy them. stains are hard to get rid of so..."

"I'll take your case, I'll help you" Yibo gets surprised by Sean's words and takes better look at him. slight smile plays on doctor's lips, while his eyes filled with warmth. Yibo understands everything and nods to Sun

"trust him, doctor Sean has enough power and desire too. if you're really victim, he can prove it"

"but I don't have enough money to pay for lawyer"

"don't worry, I have enough and more" Sean gets up and gently caresses his back "hold in here Sun, we'll meet very soon"

*****

Yibo leaves the station and stops, noticing Sean nearby. doctor wears black clothes, about to get in the car. feeling stare he turns back and walks to Yibo after few seconds of hesitation

"are you free?"

"for now I guess so, Ming said there is no new reports. I was about to meet jiang at his department"

"do you want to come with me?"

"ha? where?"

"don't worry, I'm not going to kill you" Sean smirks and points to his car "I'll tell you later"

"mn, alright" Yibo tightens fist inside his pocket, overwhelmed by emotions. Sean's tone is quite soft and totally different from before, are they getting closer again? "you're acting weird" Yibo fixes his seatbelt and Sean starts driving

"why? because of that boy? are you surprised that I took his side?"

"are you sure he is innocent? I mean..."

"don't always go with the norm detective, everyone can be predator, man, woman, even kid. obsessed woman is no less dangerous than man. this kind of knowledge comes from experience, so you'll learn too"

"I can't even read the man I love" Yibo says with low voice, but Sean's silence makes him guess that he heard "Sun resembles Zhan right? that is why you want to help him"

"Zhan is the same, he never stood for himself, such a silly one. or maybe he resembles me too? we both are stuck somewhere and can't get out. we both live in invisible prison" Yibo stays quiet and Sean laughs "you don't ask countless questions anymore, what is wrong?"

"because I don't wanna force you anymore, or maybe I'm scared to hear your answers? can you imagine how much this moment means for me? just simply being with you after everything I have done to you"

"I have worse wounds in my heart or body Yibo, so stop blaming yourself. I need company today and think you're best one"

"so where are we going?"

"you visited my school before right?"

"mn, I talked to director about you and Zhan"

"actually...we're going at her funeral. I was informed about her death yesterday, all, old and new students are going to say farewell at the school"

"I'm very sorry but...what about Zhan?"

"he has some important business to do" Sean says coldly and stays silent until they arrive. Yibo walks into school yard with him and stops at the coffin. Sean pays respect to deceased and signs Yibo to follow back. doctor enters classroom and sits down on the desk, looking out from window. sun rays plays on his beautiful face and Yibo gasps, noticing tears rolling from his eyes. he hesitantly walks closer and slightly touches his arm

"Sean, are you ok? aren't we going to attend funeral?"

"I can't bring myself. I buried my both parents at the same day and also..."

"also who?"

"how many beautiful memories is related to this place, we both were too happy here. do you know what I miss the most?"

"share it, I'm listening" Yibo sits next to him and takes Sean's hand between his palms. doctor doesn't avoid the touch and keeps talking

"my purity, my hopes and wishes for future. everything seems too bright when you're kid, but now looking back...how silly I was. I did every disgusting things I could never imagine. gosh, why am I being this honest?"

"because this place makes you emotional, because you trust me?"

"more than everyone" Sean looks at him and Yibo smiles, moving hair away from his forehead. there is Sean Xiao sitting in front of him, powerful and strict criminal psychologist but all Yibo can see now is soft and fragile man, left without shields. detective knows this moment won't last long, they'll be back to painful reality very soon. even maybe Sean does, he won't be able to forgive himself this easily, they can't erase past. he awakes from thoughts, when Sean's head leaves his shoulder and takes attention to him again "look, it's already darkening outside. I didn't notice we've been talking this long"

"should we leave? let me drive, you aren't in proper condition now"

"there is little hotel nearby, let's spend this night there. I feel exhausted"

"alright" Yibo drives to told destination and walks to reception with him. Sean puts card on the table and eyes Yibo before booking

"two single rooms please, I'll pay for both" Yibo stays quiet and just takes key after everything is done. He stops at the door and looks at man standing next to him. Sean sighs and hardly talks out "thanks for today Yibo, I couldn't handle it alone. But I need to stay with myself now, I don't think you would feel comfy about being in the same room too"

"It's ok, see you tomorrow Sean" Yibo forces himself to smile and enters the room, throwing himself on the bed. There is only one wall separating them now and he feels like crushing it down. What if Sean sees nightmare? What if he cries and hugs himself pitifully all alone? What if he calls his name but Yibo won't be able to hear? All this thoughts haunts him together and Yibo feels tears wetting his face "only imagining you in pain kills me and how am I going to stop loving you?"

***

Loud knocking sound on the door wakes Yibo up and rubs eyes trying to open them. Sean rushes in as soon as he opens the door and throws clothes to him

"Get dressed quickly"

"What happened? I'm still half asleep can't you see?"

"Dead body was found at the hospital. Ming informed me a few minutes ago, I want to be there before crime scene is cleared"

"Hospital? Is it another medical crime?" Yibo leaves to bathroom for a moment and runs after Sean, getting into car. He notices doctor's hands shaking all the way and stops himself from asking more. They hardly make way through the people inside and finally reach storage room. Nurse, supposed witness still seems in shock, giving testimony all over again. Strong blood smell makes Yibo cover his nose and takes good attention on the victim "his both wrists are cut? Guess he died from bleeding, is that suicide?"

"So this is what he was planning" Ming stands next to him and sighs "this bastard was too embarrassed to keep living"

"What do you..." Yibo moves stare to his face and feels weakness in his knees, almost falling down "Han, this is doctor Han"

"Right, nurse needed some old documents and found him in this condition. We can't exclude homicide yet, but it looks like more suicide at first sight"

"So what now detective Wang Yibo?" Suddenly Sean whispers at his ear and his cold voice sends shivers down to his spine "aren't you pleased? Look at his precious hands, such a pity he won't be able to save lives anymore"

"Sean..."

"All cut, all bloody, such a beautiful view"

"You" Yibo roughly grabs Sean's collar and drags him out, finding empty place "just who the hell are you? What kind of person? You're crying in my arms just few hours ago and now...you're blaming me right? You think..."

"This is what you think now, not me. You think I don't know, that you posted those videos?"

"Person like him shouldn't kill himself, this can't be true" Yibo pulls Sean's hair back and forces him to look up "you're...you're too creepy. Don't blame me for what you did yourself, it was you, you killed Han right?

So this week was too exhausted for me and chose this case to express my feelings now. it isn't only my imagination but mix of real abuse cases. I'm very scared about today's live, it gonna change many things for me too 😓

I want to apologize for writing depressing stories, when you're here to have fun. maybe I'm dragging you in my dark mood too 🖤

❤️ Also thank you so much to everyone who always comforts me, you're my family ❤️